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Saturday, June 27, 2015

I spent many hours last night and some time again this morning listening to the angry and disappointed responses to the SCOTUS decision from yesterday. I am nothing if not versed on both sides of important issues. I even listened to Fox ?News? for an hour. Really listened. Really read hundreds of comments and statements from those opposed to gay marriage being made a national issue, at all. Btw, I learned Federalism is dead as of yesterday. I thought it was dead as of the Civil War, but I was wrong.
Trying very hard to comprehend the outrage. The sadness. The fear.
I come to this conclusion for my own understanding and my own need to be happy about this new freedom while still maintaining some kind of understanding for those who cannot accept it:
Because state bans on SSM (same sex marriage) are now unconstitutional, many Christians firmly believe that churches will be required to perform weddings that go against their basic beliefs.
---thirty-three years ago I went to the Catholic priest in our home town to discuss marrying my Catholic fiancé in that church. I was not Catholic, but I knew others who had done this so I thought it was right for us. The priest was very compassionate and I liked him. We talked for some time about why I didn't care to convert and he seemed to understand, though hoped I would come around. I thought we were good to go.
Then he started pulling out the paperwork. First thing on the list was dissolving my first marriage.
After many questions and honest answers, I told him that I had married in a church before God and many loved ones and no way could I sign a paper saying it was an unholy or non-sanctioned union. It was a failed marriage that produced two children who were legitimate and nothing could change that. He pulled back the paperwork and suggested we go to a courthouse and understand that our marriage would not be recognized by THE church.
I didn't sue. I didn't even argue. The church refused to marry us based on their beliefs and church laws. They didn't lose their tax exempt status for refusing to house or bless our marriage.
We were married in another church, a Congregational Christian church that welcomed and blessed us.
I see no difference now with SS couples.

I fail to comprehend the homosexuality is an abomination according to the Bible outrage because none of the other abominations are causing outrage. I'm not seeing restaurants who sell shellfish picketed or the people who eat there stoned. I'm not seeing women in slacks being targeted. I may have missed it, but I'm not seeing polygamy rising in popularity. I'm not seeing women stoned for disloyalty nor for serving their families pork, the dirty meat.
Feels a lot like abortion and SSM are the only two really big sins from which there is no coming back. I honestly don't get it. If you believe in the word of the Bible, if you know it's the word of God and you're willing to stand tall and stand for God, then why not on all things biblically sinful? Why on only issue you aren't part of?
I can only conclude that the outrage is mostly fear mongering for things to come or not to come. That it's much more about judging and hate than about God's law. And mostly it's about losing a fight the right was sure they had sewed up.
It's much more about not caring about people who think differently. If you are not on the train of righteous indignation over this SSM decision, you are on a fast trip to hell. Your moral decay will ruin you and now the entire country.
It really is about hate. It really is about not accepting anyone's beliefs that differ from the fundamentalist beliefs.
If some other religion (we have hundreds with legal rights here) were to decide to be THE religion of America, would we all have to drop our own beliefs to follow them? That's what you're asking for if you are still fighting this fight on this team. Because you are demanding it's your way or the highway to Hell. There are countless organized religions who believe just as strongly as you do that they are the only way to heaven. They believe just as strongly as you do that you are going to Hell with all your doctrines and judging and hate.
The truth is, no one knows for certain what IS and what ISN'T the way to Heaven or even if there is one or many or none. What we do know is that this country was founded on freedom to worship your own way in your own beliefs. That freedom requires that we all accept each other and each other's doctrines not as our own, but as valid.
Once again I am left with this...Love is the answer and kindness works. Judging is not for us. It is for God, alone. Living in your own beliefs the best you know how without insisting other people live their with you is the only American way. This is not a country of ONE religion, that was England and that is why the pilgrims came HERE.
Peace and LOVE to all.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Monday musings...thoughts...ramblings.We spent several hours at the beach today. The ocean water is 80 degrees now and we both spent a good amount of time in the water. I actually swam a little for the first time. I don't swim in anything but a pool. Today, though, with temps in the 90s and an ocean full of bath water, I just swam. It was very nice. I may become an ocean swimmer after all!I look out over the Atlantic with my toes squeezing sand as the warm water washes over them and I realize how spectacular my new home is. I see the power of the rolling waves and as I walk through them, I feel the weight of them push against my legs and my body. It's almost as if it's pushing me back to shore. If I lay on water and float, I do gently flow back to shore at an angle to where I start. Gently, once I relax and float. Powerful, when I am moving under my own steam with my own direction in mind. I think very much like God. My life goes gently along in the general area I am heading, if I'm relaxed and listening. If I'm tense and pushing my way along, going my own way, the road blocks are powerful. I am always in awe of birds. Tiny little feathered creatures that wave their "arms" and fly! Soaring high above tree tops over miles they lightly move with such ease. Rain or shine, hot or cold, they drop by the feeders to snack and I am convinced, say hello to the humans they have become comfortable around.Taking my evening walk was scrapped for a bike ride on Roomy's wheels. Touring the neighborhood I notice that we live in a very diverse sub. It's actually a series of subs, three, I think. Front is a trailer park. Very old and full, as far as I can tell. Then beyond that is the second sub which consists of four roads that only connect to each other and the main road, Golf Avenue. Then there is a storm drain and a row of power lines that separates that sub from Springleaf which has three development stages.We live in Springleaf, phase two, apparently.Our house is on the largest lot and the edge of phase three. All the new builds behind or north of us. Our house was the last of the phase two builds, or so it appears from the earlier satellite shots from goggle earth. Phase one is the homes on the south side of Golf Avenue. In these three subs live all ages, races and kinds of people. It's only a mile and a quarter in depth and about a quarter of a mile wide.I find that although a retirement community might have been fun, this diversity interests and amuses me. Also pleases my senses. There have been no crimes here since we moved in. We have police driving through regularly waving, smiling if they pass a human.It's safe and it's comfortable. People are friendly. Not sociable, but friendly. And nearly everyone walks somewhere, at some point.It's nothing like anyplace I've ever lived and I'm grateful for all this has shown me. Following that path...the one to which we were led.

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I have written and recorded two (2) audio books.
1) Beautiful Betsy... the story of Betsy from before her conception until she becomes a grandmother. It is based in Durand, Mi.
2) Summer in Martinstown...Follows a family through one southern summer. Experience their challenges and their trials along with their victories.
Both books were written and read by Jo Heroux.
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